Jephte Tanga

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jephte Tanga

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Jephte Matuba TangaAncestry.com. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2004|6|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Lambeth, England

| height =

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Ebbsfleet United

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2021

| youthclubs1 = Leyton Orient

| years1 = 2021–2024

| clubs1 = Leyton Orient

| caps1 = 1

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2022

| clubs2 = → Sutton Common Rovers (loan)

| caps2 = 8

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2022

| clubs3 = → Royston Town (loan)

| caps3 = 3

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022

| clubs4 = → Sutton Common Rovers (loan)

| caps4 = 8

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2022–2023

| clubs5 = → Cray Wanderers (loan)

| caps5 = 21

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2023

| clubs6 = → Welling United (loan)

| caps6 = 25

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2024

| clubs7 = → Maidstone United (loan)

| caps7 = 23

| goals7 = 2

| years8 = 2024–

| clubs8 = Ebbsfleet United

| caps8 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| club-update = 16:59, 15 July 2024 (UTC)

}}

Jephte Matuba Tanga (born 16 June 2004) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ebbsfleet United.

Career

Tanga made his senior debut for Leyton Orient in the EFL Trophy in the 1–0 win at home to Southampton U21 on 14 September 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute for Callum Reilly.{{cite web |url=https://www.leytonorient.com/2021/09/14/match-report-leyton-orient-1-0-southampton-u21/ |title=Match report: Leyton Orient 1–0 Southampton U21 |access-date=19 December 2021 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C.}} He later appeared in the 0–0 draw with Milton Keynes Dons in the same competition, again as a substitute, this time for Tyrese Omotoye. Orient lost the match after a penalty shoot-out.{{cite web |url=https://www.leytonorient.com/2021/11/30/match-report-leyton-orient-0-0-mk-dons-4-5-pens/ |title=Match report: Leyton Orient 0–0 MK Dons (4–5 pens) |access-date=19 December 2021 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C.}}

On 14 January 2022, Leyton Orient confirmed Tanga had gone on loan to Sutton Common Rovers,{{cite web |url=https://www.leytonorient.com/2022/01/14/jephte-tanga-joins-sutton-common-rovers-on-loan/ |title=Jephte Tanga joins Sutton Common Rovers on loan |date=14 January 2022 |access-date=9 March 2022 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C.}} where he won Rovers' Player of the Month award for February.{{cite web |url=https://www.leytonorient.com/news/2022/june/10/orient-duo-sign-first-professional-contracts-/ |title=Orient duo sign first professional contracts in E10 |date=10 June 2022 |access-date=7 July 2022 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C.}} On his return to Orient, he made his league debut as a late substitute for Adam Thompson in the 2–2 draw at Colchester United.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59715535 |title=Colchester United 2–2 Leyton Orient |date=1 March 2022 |access-date=7 July 2022 |publisher=BBC Sport}}

In June 2022, Tanga signed his first professional contract with Orient, alongside defender Harrison Sodje. On 19 August 2022, Tanga signed for Royston Town on a 28-day loan.{{cite web |url=https://www.leytonorient.com/news/2022/august/19/jephte-tanga-heads-out-on-loan/ |title=Jephte Tanga heads out on loan |date=19 August 2022 |access-date=24 February 2023 |publisher=Leyton Orient F.C.}} In October 2022, Tanga rejoined Sutton Common Rovers on loan.{{cite web |url=https://www.leytonorient.com/news/2022/august/19/jephte-tanga-heads-out-on-loan/ |title=Tanga back at Rovers |date=4 October 2022 |access-date=24 February 2023 |publisher=Isthmian League}} In November 2022, Tanga joined Cray Wanderers on loan.{{cite web |url=https://www.cray-wanderers.com/cray-wanderers-squad-update-2-new-signings-jephte-tanga-loan-tyreese-heslop-cerny-ando-update/ |title=CRAY WANDERERS SQUAD UPDATE – 2 NEW SIGNINGS, JEPHTE TANGA (LOAN) & TYREESE HESLOP – CERNY ANDO UPDATE |website=www.cray-wanderers.com |date=27 November 2022 |accessdate=30 November 2022}} Tanga won the players player of the season award at Cray.

Following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Tanga departed Leyton Orient on a free transfer.{{cite web|url=https://www.leytonorient.com/news/2024/april/30/leyton-orient-confirm-retained-list-for-2023-24/|title=LEYTON ORIENT CONFIRM SUMMER 2024 RETAINED LIST|website=www.leytonorient.com|date=30 April 2024|accessdate=15 July 2024}}

In July 2024, Tanga joined National League side Ebbsfleet United, the club fighting off competition from a number of other sides at the level.{{cite web|url=https://www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/fleet-take-tangas-talents-on-board/|title=Fleet take Tanga's talents on board|website=www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk|date=10 July 2024|accessdate=15 July 2024}}

Statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|EFL Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Leyton Orient \|2021–22{{soccerbase\|141366\|accessdate=6 February 2022}} \|League Two \|1	0	0	0	0	0	2{{Efn\|name=EFLT\|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}}	0	3	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0